Child Development Unit

• Medical Professionals (General Practitioners, Paediatricians, Medical Officers, Specialists)
• Allied Health Professionals
• Care/Education via Leadership Team in consultation with Support Services eg. Speech Pathology, Psychology or DECD Special Educator, Catholic Education / Association of Independent Schools SA Special Education Consultants/Advisors. Reports documenting this consultation must be provided.

Please note: If a child is referred by an allied health professional or educator, the CDU process can begin. However, if a paediatric appointment is required, the child will also need a GP referral.

CDU Criteria

• Fine motor problems (handwriting, cutting, manipulation and dexterity)
  
• Gross motor problems (locomotor, ball skills, coordination, climbing, motor planning)
  
• Speech and language problems (excluding stuttering)
  
• Sensory processing issues (sensitivities or sensory seeking behaviours)
  
• Socialisation problems (not relating to peers, poor play skills, poor non-verbal skills, conversation skills, reduced eye contact)
  
• Behaviours as listed:
  • repetitive behaviours/play, need for routines/rituals, obsessive interests. Inflexibility, unusual posturing of the body/movement patterns, unusual use of language
  • Children >5 years – inattentive, hyperactive, impulsive behaviours, poor planning and organisation
• Problems with self-care skills (dressing, feeding self, toileting – excluding constipation)
• Learning difficulties (reading, spelling, maths or all).

Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD)

Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) is a term used for a spectrum of conditions caused by prenatal alcohol exposure.

Referrals for Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder require the FASD Referral Appendix completed with the CDU Referral Form. This form can be obtained from our web page or contact our Unit to request the FASD Referral Appendix via Health.CDU@sa.gov.au.

CDU does not accept referrals if:

• Patients reside outside of CDU catchment area (unless outside of accepted age range for catchment)
• There is a single area of concern
• CDU referral form is not used.

Referral to the CDU will allow an information gathering process to begin but referral acceptance and allocation of appointments is only determined following completion of this referral, parent and/or school questionnaires (if required) and CDU review of the information provided.

Acceptance of referrals is subject to catchment areas which are defined for the three assessments units. If you are unsure of the appropriate unit, please call any of the numbers on the Catchment Area Map for assistance.

• Women's and Children's Hospital – Child Development Unit
  (08) 8161 7287
• Flinders Medical Centre – Child Assessment Team
  (08) 8204 4433
• Lyell McEwin Hospital – Gordon McKay Child Development Unit
  (08) 7485 4109